It's not just a nasty problem in Willard, N.M., is now a costly one, too.

The Village of Willard's clerk and treasurer Emily Sanchez told Target 7 that an engineering firm recently completed a study of just how vast the sewage problems are in Willard. She says, according to that initial report, it could cost taxpayers $1.2 million to fix the mess. Sanchez believes it could even be more.

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A decade ago, with the state's recommendation, Willard village government hired a company to install a new sewage system to ensure the safety of its groundwater. What they got, according to state investigators, was a faulty system installed uphill. The pipes were not even glued together.

Residents like Shirley Valdez complained of years worth of sewage backups, causing her and her husband to have to go outdoors to use the restroom.

Sanchez said they will request capital outlay funds in the upcoming legislature, but it could still be years before an actual fix is in place.